Every Dark Cloud Has Its Silver Lining
by royal-chandler
Summary: Liason, Jason recalls the times that led him to this point.


Summary: This is a plot bunny that popped into my head during today episode of GH (8-14-06). It takes place three years into the future. It's Liason but it's not very fluffy, it's an angst story. Oh the italicized words indicate a flashback. I really hope you guys like it, though it may seem rushed at some parts.

Today's weather isn't honoring her or the aura she presented. Somehow even mother nature doesn't understand the concept of beauty and grace, because that's everything Elizabeth Webber was. Her essence was what drove him every time he laid his eyes upon her. Her long curling hair, shining blue eyes, skin that looked as if it was made from porcelain but softer than anything he had ever had the privilege to feel. The downpour of rain was dropping hard and fast but not loud enough to muffle the preacher's words, soft cries, or Jason's thoughts. Sadness and gloom moved dully throughout the world today, well in Port Charles. Pretty much everyone was there, people who had been touched by her. Co-workers, friends and family. Jason looked on at the surrounding crowd. His first caught a glimpse of Carly with Sonny and the boys, she had said she wanted to be there for him today, she had respected Elizabeth, despite their differences. Jason was thankful for that, Carly truly was his best friend. He looked over to see Bobbie was consoling Lucky, and arm wrapped around him, whispering assuring words in his ear. Luke sat on the other side of Lucky, remorse marked on his face. Elizabeth had been like a daughter to him and in return she had always referred to him as her one and only father figure. Emily sat behind the Spencer family, with her once again husband, Nikolas Cassadine; they'd been her closest companions. With Audrey coming into view, Jason realized it was her that he most felt sorry for. She who truly loved and cared for the fallen woman unconditionally, no questions asked. She looked so lost with Cameron by her side, somehow the little boy knew he'd never see his mom again. Lastly, it was Sam clung to his side and determined to be his rock through "this sad situation". That's what she had called it. He was livid after she uttered the conflicting words, but she didn't notice or care. She held his hand and hadn't let go since they arrived at the church. Sam must have sensed his eyes on her because she turned her face to him and smiled. Suddenly feel sick, he steered ahead trying to listen to the prayers. There was no use, she'd never be off of his mind. Paying attention didn't matter to him though, either way God currently wasn't on his good list. It had nothing to do with religion but He'd taken the best thing he had in his life.

"_Jason! Jason! Are you home?" Carly's loud yelling companied her hard rapping against his penthouse door. He shook his head and lifted his tired body off of the couch. He was more than used to Carly's rash antics but hurried to let her in. Whatever the problem was she was most likely overreacting and making things bigger than they are. With a click of the door knob she was in and farther into the living room, he closed the door with his back turned to her, "What is it now, Carly?"_

_Jason turned around and instantly knew it was immensely problematic, her expression read urgency, grief, regret and...sympathy. He gingerly walked over to her, "Something's wrong."_

_The tall blond began to stammer, "I don't—I uh don't know how to tell you this. Mama, she told me and I couldn't let you find out from anyone else. This is going to-- Oh, Jase, I'm...so sorry. Jason, I'm sorry."_

_He placed braced her with his hands and looked at her with such composure she almost broke, "Calm down, alright. Just breathe and tell me what's going on."_

_Carly gave him a sad grin, "You always tell me ten seconds."_

_Okay he was starting to get somewhere, "Yeah, yeah, that's exactly right."_

_Carly shook her head negatively, "No, no. This isn't about me, it's you."_

_Jason took her hand and sat them both on the couch, "Come on, you've gotta give me some leeway here. Is it Sonny? Michael or Morgan? Are they in trouble or sick?" he asked worriedly._

"_They're fine, " Carly commented, crossing her legs. She locked their hands together rubbing her thumbs over his. She took a deep breath and blew it back out. Eyes starting to water, she responded, "I don't know how, Jason. This is your territory. Subtlety is not my strongest suit. Manipulation, lies, deceit. Now that—that is me."_

"_Carly if you can't tell me, who can you tell?" Jason reasoned._

_She fixed her eyes on him carefully, then pacing herself, Carly began, "My mother called me over to Kelly's today. I was worried at first you know because she sounds so...different. I was thinking,'Why doesn't she just tell me over the phone'. That's a bad sign all in itself. Anyways I'm there at Kelly's; Lucky and Lulu are crying in the corner; Georgie is sitting with Dillon, completely distraught and Mama's behind the counter looking like her world just fell under her."_

"_Finish," Jason encouraged._

"_It was Elizabeth, Jason. She's gone."_

_Jason gulped and tried to focus on what she just said, "Are you sure? Is she at the hospital or--"_

_Carly cut him off, he did it rarely but he was straying from reality, "There was an accident. She...Jason, she died instantly. She wasn't in pain. Jase, I can't even began to tell you how sorry I am."_

_Jason sprung up, paced for a short bit and finally ended up behind the couch. His hands dead set against the back, letting it support him. "What happened?" he choked out._

_Carly flinched at his sudden vulnerability, "Elizabeth was going to pick up Cameron from school. The um—roads were slippery. She wasn't exceeding the speed limit but according to the rescue crew she was driving faster than she should have been during those conditions. She lost control of her car..."_

_Jason heard the rest, tears streaming down his face as he listened. Learning how he had just loss the love of his life._

It hadn't been fair. He never got the chance to even see Elizabeth that day. Jason blamed himself, remembering a fight they had had only a week before.

"_Wow," Elizabeth whispered softly as she fell back into the bed, pulling the thin linen sheet over her. Her cheeks were flushed, hair wild, and eyes glossed over. She was so beautiful. Jason fell back the second after her. He looked at her full mouth as she added another, "Wow."_

_He laughed, Elizabeth loved his laugh. It rumbled from below and erupted with unmatched masculinity. Jason didn't do it a lot, so every time he did she treasured it. Brushing stray strands of hair away from her face, he looked at her lovingly, "It was amazing," He pressed his lips to hers gently, reeling in everything her, "It always is."_

_The two were in their regular room at the top of Jake's, his old room. It was where they had decided to keep their affair. It held sacred memories for both of them. Their affair. It had all started that fateful night of the blackout three years ago. The cause had been two tawdry affairs and the outcome had been their rekindling. That's what Elizabeth loved to call it. She didn't think them being together was wrong, it was their survival. They couldn't live without each other. It was only supposed to be that one night. That was their intention but they have a connection that only grows stronger with time. An unbreakable bond. And that's why they're here now at this moment. Their love wasn't about sneaking off, revenge, or lust. Elizabeth and Jason need one another, when times were rough only they could give each other complete understanding. Simply soulmates, that's what they were._

"_Mmm," Elizabeth moaned, "What time is it?" She stretched over him to look at the alarm clock on the small table beside him, the red digits reading 3:46 am. Jason found it hard to resist touching her. Her brown hair tickling his chest as she went back to her original position, "I have to leave soon," she told him._

_He nodded, "I know."_

_She did the same and put her small hand to his face. Not a hint of stubble, "This is always the hardest part."_

"_It doesn't have to be."_

"_Yes, it does." she retorted._

_Jason propped himself up on his elbow so he could look down at her, "Elizabeth, I want to talk to you," he stated._

"_You are." Elizabeth joked but she knew exactly what he meant._

"_I want to be with you," he returned simply._

"_Jason, you know we can't. We're both married." _

_She rose from the bed looking for her underwear and clothes. Pushing her hair away whenever it fell in front of her. She was so used to him doing it. Jason looked at her confused, "Elizabeth, what are you doing?"_

_Elizabeth slipped into her jeans, and grabbed her shoes, "I'm getting dressed, Jason."_

"_Don't leave. We need to talk about this."_

"_No we don't. Do you not recall our deal? It's not exactly no strings but it can't go any further than this and Jason, you know that."_

_He followed her suit and started to get dressed himself, pulling his shirt over his head he replied back to her, "Then it's better we just end it."_

_She gazed at him shocked, "What?"_

_It only took him three quick strides to reach her, "I don't know how much longer I can do this. Elizabeth, I love you."_

_She walked past him and sat on the bed pulling on her sandals, "And I love you, Jason," she looked up at him, "More than anything." she said honestly._

"_But not enough to leave Lucky?"_

"_Would you leave Sam?" she shot back, she regretted it as soon as it left._

"_You know I would," he yelled._

"_I know." she said softly, "If it were only them, we'd be together, Jason. But my son—my son is involved and I'm not willing to risk it."_

"_There hasn't been any action or indication of in months." he explained._

"_That's not a guarantee, Jason! Why today, of all days would you bring this up? For the past three years you haven't. You've understood, you've respected what we had."_

_It was silent for a few minutes until Jason knelt down in front of her and held her face in his hands, "For the past three years I've fallen only deeper in love with you. You're my breath, Elizabeth. Do you have any idea how it feels to know that we have no future?"_

_She brought her hands where his rest and pulled them away, "We never said it'd be easy."_

"_It shouldn't have started," he spoke somberly._

"_Don't say that," she replied in a matching tone. She could feel herself starting to cry._

"_I can't hurt us anymore. We have to admit how we feel. We've held it in too long. We're both unsatisfied, Elizabeth. We want more and that's not possible."_

_She looked at him helplessly, "How do we do that? Tell me." _

_He looked down guilty, "I've been thinking about it for a couple of weeks. I'm leaving Port Charles."_

"_You're just gonna pick up and leave?" she inquired._

_Her question etched into his mind and getting up he replied back sharply, "You can't have it both ways, Elizabeth."_

"_I don't want to fight with you. I just don't get where all this is coming from."_

"_I'm protecting myself from you."_

_If he had said that at any other time she would have laughed until her butt fell off but he wasn't kidding. He honestly couldn't take it anymore. Elizabeth felt selfish immediately but it's what they promised each other, always being there, she reasoned._

"_Is this goodbye, Jason?Are you going to leave your comfortable life with Sam now?"_

"_Don't get catty, Elizabeth. I'm going to divorce her before I leave. I don't want to drag her down with me. It's the right thing to do." he declared._

_She laughed at that, "Oh, well how thoughtful of you," she said sarcastically, applauding him._

_Jason stared at her. Her cheeks wet with tears lingering, her blue orbs doleful. "You're beautiful."_

_Elizabeth shook her head disbelievingly, "Compliments won't get you anywhere."_

_He slid his hand down his face and rested it against his side, "Listen, you should go. You need to be at the hospital. We can talk about this later."_

"_I thought you wanted to do it now. Change your mind already?" she asked angrily._

"_Just--"_

"_Just, what? Go? Is that what you want me to do?"_

_Elizabeth watched as he reached for his boots, "Jason if you leave right now...don't bother coming back or calling me."_

"_I didn't want it to be like this for us."_

"_Of course not, you wanted me to comply with your wishes."_

_He came over to her and put his lips on hers once again. His strong hands holding her head as he orally seduced her. Jason pulled her upper petal in between his and gently chewed on it. Running his tongue against her lips, he begged her to open up to him. She did. It was the most passionate kiss they'd ever had and that's saying a lot. Before he could give in, Jason pulled away. Elizabeth had teared up even more because of it, "Jason, don't do this."_

_He caressed her jaw, kissing it, then he kissed her nose, afterwards kissing her forehead. "I'm sorry."_

_With that, he left. She walked on wobbly legs to the door. Willing herself to open it but she couldn't. She tried to fight it back but a sob racked through her, physically and emotionally shaking all that she was. They came even faster and she collapsed to the floor weakened, "Jason," she cried and repeated for what seemed like forever._

_Jason hadn't left and stood on the other side of the door, he could hear her cries, but he couldn't go back on what he had done. No regrets. That's what it all came down to. He hadn't wanted to end it like this but no other way would have work and devastated her as this did. Jason didn't want to regret his relationship with her but if it went on any longer, he would have. Good, sacred memories are what he wanted to keep. Water started to appear in his eyes and he wiped them away hurriedly, "Nowhere, fast, Elizabeth."_

This day, the present he regretted that argument, what he'd done. It's seems that's when all of his troubles started. He must have been out of it for awhile, Jason acknowledged that Audrey had just finished her eulogy. The priest called upon the guests asking if there was anyone else who wanted to pay their respects.

"Who's gone up?" Jason whispered to Sam.

She looked at him as if he had two heads, "Jason, where have you been? Don't you respect Elizabeth enough to listen at her memorial? Her parents, Bobbie, um...Alan, Emily and Nikolas."

"Oh," was his plain reply.

He didn't offer to say anything and when it was over he didn't regret that.

The next day was bright, sunny and warm. A day Elizabeth would have enjoyed. He stood in front of her headstone reading 'Elizabeth Webber Spencer'. That wasn't how he thought of her, the wife of Lucky Spencer wasn't a happy woman nor was she free to do as she wanted. Lucky never got that. Elizabeth was happy when she didn't have to worry or care and that's how he would always remember her. He wanted to remember the times she would come to Jake's with bottles of paint, paintbrushes, and a blank canvas. How she would smile proudly because Coleman hadn't caught her. The times when she gushed about her pediatrics patients and how she loved kids. When she talked about Cameron he'd never seen her face so bright. What he wanted to remember most was the day she came to on the docks proposing her offer, saying she couldn't let him go. She was so irresistible and gorgeous, no matter how it ended, she always kept it beautiful.

"You're my light and breath, Elizabeth and I love you for that." he kissed his index and middle finger and pressed them to the cold marble. He could have sworn it grew hot under his touch. He smiled.

"You okay, Jase?" her voice didn't surprise him, it never did.

He turned away with an indifferent face, "I'm fine, Carly."

Carly had been the only person other than Jason and Elizabeth to know of the affair. She hadn't judged, hadn't even walked up to Elizabeth and feed her threats. She just stood by and did her best to support him, "We weren't friends or anything but I'll miss her."

Jason chuckled as a light breeze blew, "Will you?"

"Yeah, she made a mean batch of brownies." she kidded.

"It's alright to say you liked her."

Carly grinned, "Don't tell anyone," she warned lightly, knowing her secret was safe.

Jason sighed, "Let's go." He began to walk away but notice she wasn't moving, "You coming?"

"One sec," she called back staring ahead at the headstone. Jason walked away with no questions.

Once he was gone, Carly smiled down at the grave, "You weren't all that bad. I want to thank you for taking care of him and keeping him as happy as you did. You're an angel now, I guess. Watch over him. I have a feeling he'll need that."

Carly turned away following Jason, and soon becoming in step with him. A soft breeze blew behind her.


End file.
